Method of fastening ropes to fittings



May 20, 1941. w. A. MEIGHAN METHOD OF FASTENING ROPES TO FITTINGS FiledJan. 2, 1940 clamp that held said cable by gripping it.

Patented May 20, 1941 NET STTES P T.

F FI-CE llIETHO-D F FASTENING-ROPES TO FITTINGS My invention relates tothe fastening of cables to fittings, and it relates more particularly tothe fastening .of relatively stiff cables, such as those made of steelhaving a high carbon content, to fittings so small that said cable mustbe bent sharply to form aknot thereon. This application is acontinuation in part of my copending application for United Statespatent for Rope fitting, which matured into 'UnitedStates Patent No.2,193,236 granted March 12, "1940.

In the art of fastening ropes and cables to various objects, there haveheretofore been developed'two general methods. First, stiff cables havecommonly been fastened by some kind of In some cases, molten metal suchas zinc has been poured around the cable to hold it in a socket. Thismethod is disadvantageous in that the fitting must be unduly large, andbecause facilities for melting zinc are often not available at the Iplace where said cable must be fastened.

Second, in tying flexible ropes it has long been customary to arrangethe rope so that one portion underlies another portion that is undertension, making the rope self-binding. This method has not heretoforebeen used in fastening steel cables because their stiffness hasprevented them being drawn down into a compact knot. It is necessary touse some source of. mechanicalpower to draw down even a small steelcable, and the loops thereof cannot be controlled as canthose of aflexible rope.

In drawing down a steel cable into a self-binding knot by mechanicalpower, two general methods may be used. First, tension may be applied tothe cable on the opposite sides of the knot, in the way a knot isordinarilytied in a string. This method is not satisfactory because, forone reason, there is necessarily a loose cable end that will tend towork loose and be otherwise objectionable, and, for another reason,because the subsequent working force on the cable will be appliedsomewhat differently than the force used to draw down-the knot.Therefore, a knot formed in this way will work loose.

The second method of drawing down a steel cable into a self-bindingknot, and the method which I prefer, is to apply the force to the cableon one side of the knot and to the fitting onthe other, that is, I applytension between the cable and the fitting to draw the knot tight. Thismethod is advantageous in that the force used to draw down the knot willbe applied in exactly the same way as the working force thereafterapplied to the cable, and said working :force consequently will notloosen said knot. Furthermore, by this method, the otherwise loose cableend mayibe covered some way.

However, this method of drawing down a steel cable has not heretoforebeen used because the cable would-slip off the fitting, instead ofdrawing down into a self-binding knot. The stiffness of a steel cablemakes it extremely difiicult to hold while it is being drawndown.However, I have found that, by the method'hereinafter'described, theheaviest and stiifest cable can be drawn-down by'powerinto a small,compact knot that will not work loose. Furthermore, said knot .may bemuch more simple than a knot in a flexible rope, and it therefore may bemade to occupy very little space, which is a matter of importance formypurpose. In carrying out-my in vention, I make-use of the very factorwhich has heretofore rustrated .all attempts to fasten a steel cable toa fitting by means .of a self-binding knot, namely, the stiffness of thecable.

The principal object of my invention is to fasten afstifi rope or cableto a fitting by means of a self-binding knot.

A further objectof my invention is to fasten a cable to a fittingwithout the aid of tools of any kind.

A further object of my invention is to utilize the source of power withwhich a cable is ordinarily employed to draw a knot in said cable downupon a fitting.

A further object of my invention is to fasten a cable to fitting bymeans of a self-binding knot that is so compact in size that said knotand fitting may be easily. handled in places where for, the end ofsaidcable being inserted through one aperture of said fitting;

Fig. '2 is a view similar to l but said cable further inserted through asecond aperture in said fitting;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the cable end carried aroundand inserted in a socket;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3'but with one of g the loops of saidcable shown partially separated from the other loop, a mans hands andfoot 'being shown in position for separating said loops;

drawn through said aperture for a substantial distance and then passedthrough a second aperture 5 in said fitting. The loop thus formedbetween said apertures should not immediately be drawn down; it shouldtemporarily remain of substantial size, such as is shown in Fig. 2. End4 of said rope should now be brought around and passed through said loopin orderthat it will be snubbed thereby when said loop finally is drawndown. Next, I prefer to insert said end in a chamber or pocket 6 of saidfitting. I prefer said chamber to be immediately adjacent aperture 3.

As is shown in Fig. 3, the method thus far described results in theformation of two loops, one between the two apertures, and the otherbetween aperture 5 and chamber 6. Said loops will be interlinked and, asformed in a heavy steel rope, there will naturally be a considerabledistance, along said rope, from said chamber to the point I where saidropes cross. This is the portion held by the hand in Fig. 3. As thefinal step in the manually performed part of my method, I slide saidfirst mentioned loop toward said chamber, moving said point 1 where saidropes cross toward said chamber. I have found that this may be done evenwith a heavy rope by placing my foot on one of said loops and pullingwith my hands on the other, as is shown in Fig. 4. It will be seen thata sharp bend 8 is thus formed in said rope at the entrance to saidchamber, and that considerable leverage will be available in formingsaid bend due to the stiffness of said rope.

In this way, I pull said loops to approximately the position shown inFig. 4, or the loop may be pulled a little further, moving point I alittle closer to chamber 6, if desired.- I then apply power, as by drum9, to pull said loops tight. Fitting l is provided with an eye l0adapted to engage a clevis, or the like, or a hook might be providedinstead of said eye. prefer to anchor said fitting by whatever part ofit that is normally used to pull a load. For purpose of illustration, Ihave shown said fitting anchored to post II by strap I2.

The application of power first draws down the loop between said twoapertures to the position shown in Fig. 5, thus forming a still sharperbend at 8 and forcing the portion of cable l3 immediately adjacent saidbend firmly down into the groove provided for it. The stifiness of thecable then holds it in place, whereas the stiffness of the cable causesit to clip off the fitting In any case, I.

with other methods of application. In this way,

the cable is secured by power at the beginning of the application ofsaid power, and I deem this knot being drawn down to the form shown inFig, 6, the fitting then being ready for use in the ordinary way. Itwill be seen that subsequent pulling on said cable and fitting will bein the same direction as the force that drew down the knot. Knot willnot thereby tend to work loose as it would if it had been drawn tight byforces applied, say, to the rope on opposite sides of said knot insteadof between the rope and fitting.

I have thus described a method whereby a rope or cable may be formed ina loose knot around a fitting, and thereafter by applying power to saidrope and fitting in the same way they are to be subsequently used saidrope may to a chambered fitting provided with a lateral apertureconsisting in threading said cable through said aperture forming alooped section loosely about said fitting, threading said cable endbeneath the cable lying immediately adjacent the point where it emergesfrom said aperture, inserting the extreme end of said cable in saidchamber, and bending a sharp kink in said cable immediately adjacent themouth of said chamber andsimultaneously binding said looped section tothe face of said fitting.

2-. The method of securing the end of a cable to a chambered fittingprovided with a lateral aperture consisting in threading said cablethrough said aperture forming a looped section loosely about saidfitting, threading said cable end beneath the cable lying immediatelyadjacent the point where it emerges from saidaperture, inserting theextreme end of said cable in said chamber, bending a sharp kink in saidcable immediately adjacent the mouth of said chamber and simultaneouslybinding said looped section to the face of said fitting, and thereafterdrawing said cable through said aperture to tighten said looped sectionand bind it about said fitting.

3. The method of securing the end of a cable to a chambered fittingprovided with two lateral apertures consisting in threading said cablethrough said apertures, forming a looped section of cable lying betweensaid apertures, forming a second looped section loosely about saidfitting, threading said second looped section beneath said firstmentioned section, inserting the extreme end of said cable in saidchamber, drawing the cable longitudinally to flatten the loop from saidfirst section, thereby bending a sharp kink in said cable immediatelyadjacent the mouth of said chamber and simultaneously binding saidsecond looped section to the face of said fitting.

4. The method of securing the end of a cable to a chambered fittingprovided with two lateral apertures consisting in threading said cablethrough said apertures-forming a looped section of cable lying betweensaid apertures, forming a second looped section loosely about saidfitting, threading said second looped section beneath said firstmentioned section, inserting the extreme end of said cable in saidchamber, drawing the cable longitudinally to flatten the loop from saidfirst section, thereby bending a sharp kink in said cable immediatelyadjacent the mouth of said chamber and simultaneously binding saidsecond looped section to the face of said fitting, and thereafterdrawing said cable through said apertures to tighten said second loopedsection and bind it about said fitting.

5. The method of securing the end of a relatively stiff cable to achambered fitting provided with a pair of spaced apertures extendingtherethrough, and a chamber formed therein, comprising threading one endof said cable through one of said apertures and back through the otheraperture forming a loop of substantial size between said apertures andextending laterally from said fitting, drawing said end from said lastmentioned aperture and forming a, loop about said fitting, passing saidend through the first mentioned loop and inserting the extreme end ofthe cable in the chamber in said fitting, forming a sharp bend in saidcable adjacent the mouth of said chamber and then pulling in theremainder of said cable to reduce said loops, thereby first drawing theend of the cable adjacent the bend in the cable tightly against saidfitting and then drawing the second loop tightly about said fitting.

6. The method of securing the end of a relatively stiff cable to achambered fitting provided with a pair of spaced apertures extendingtherethrough, and a chamber formed therein, comprising threading one endof said cable through one of said apertures and back through the otheraperture forming a loop of substantial size between said apertures andextending laterally from said fitting, drawing said end from said lastmentioned aperture and forming a loop about said fitting, passing saidend through the first mentioned loop and inserting the extreme end ofthe cable in the chamber in said fitting, forcing said first mentionedloop laterally toward said chamber and thus forming a sharp bend in saidcable adjacent the mouth of said chamber and then pulling in theremainder of said cable to reduce said loops, thereby first drawing theend of the cable adjacent the bend in the cable tightly against saidfitting and then drawing the second loop tightly about said fitting.

WILLIAM A. MEIGHAN.

